Worlds Apart (Worlds Apart Vampire Romance, Book One)

by Emily Knight

The next thing Peter remembered was a tremendous headache and a chilling sensation over his body. He opened his eyes and saw he was in the center of the room beside a small table with two chairs. Peter sat up and groaned. His head throbbed. The hardest part of his body was now the most painful. He glanced around and his eyes froze on the dark figure that stood in the shadows of the corner of the room closest to the open door. The shadow had red eyes and held a cane. Lysander.

  "What are you doing here?" Lysander questioned him.

  Peter swallowed and pointed every which way. "I-uh-I was just-"

  "-stealing into my study in the middle of the day to search through my private papers," Lysander finished for him.

  Peter winced. "Would you believe 'no?'"

  Lysander suddenly stood in front of Peter and wrapped his hand around the young man's throat. He lifted him a foot off the floor and Peter clawed at the strong arm that held him. "None of your lies, human." Peter froze and his eyes widened. Lysander's lips curled back in a terrible grin that showed off his sharp teeth. "Yes, I know you are a human. I have known since the beginning. Only my daughter's feelings for you have kept you alive this long." He shook Peter. The young man saw not only stars but galaxies. "Now why have you come here? What are you looking for?"

  Peter clutched the vampire's strong hand and frowned. "I came here-wheeze-to see if you were the one hurting all those people."

  Lysander sneered at him. "You are a typical human to blame what they do not know on what they do not understand."

  Peter frowned. "I understand the person-wheeze-killed last night probably has a couple of holes in their throat."

  Lysander's eyebrows crashed down. "Killed? Where was the body taken?"

  Peter tried to shrug, but he couldn't lift his shoulders that high. "I don't know. The morgue?"

  Lysander growled and turned away, but he didn't release Peter. Peter was swung over the floor. His side nearly collided with the desk. The vampire's eyes flitted from side to side as thoughts flashed through his mind.

  Lysander returned his gaze to the Peter and his eyes flashed with red venom. "I dislike you for too many reasons to discuss, but under the circumstance I have no choice. I require your help to conceal my family's existence."

  Peter nodded down at the vampire's hand. "Then you're kind of-wheeze-going about this the wrong way." Lysander opened his hand and Peter dropped to the ground. The young man rubbed his neck and climbed to his shaky feet. He stepped back and studied the vampire. "What exactly were you wanting me to do?"

  "You must enter the morgue, find the body and pierce its heart with a stake," Lysander explained.

  Peter's mouth dropped open. "Are you crazy? If I go in there looking for the body they're going to think I'm gloating over my kill!"

  Lysander grabbed Peter's neck again and lifted him off the floor. "Then you and I will have a discussion on the many ways I dislike you."

  "Point taken," Peter choked out. The vampire opened his hand and gravity took its course. Peter rubbed his neck again as he frowned at the vampire. "But why am I doing this, anyway? If this is so important why didn't you take care of this last night when you killed the person?"

  Lysander frowned and partially turned away from Peter, but his eyes flitted back to the young man. "You may not believe me, but I had nothing to do with any of these attacks."

  Peter closed his eyes and shook his head. "No, I don't believe you, but-" he straightened and pursed his lips, "-I'll do anything if it means keeping Ana safe."

  Lysander scoffed. "That remains to be seen. As for what needs to be done, this victim must be staked as soon as possible."

  Peter arched an eyebrow. "Is this guy a vampire now or something?"

  "He will probably be what is considered a revenant," Lysander told him.

  Peter blinked at the aged creature. "He's a vampire's income?"

  Lysander's eyes hardened and turned to fully face Peter. "Not revenue, a revenant. A creature like a zombie, but who has supernatural speed and feeds on blood."

  Peter winced. "That doesn't sound easy to deal with. Are you sure they're going to turn into this revenant thing?"

  Lysander pursed his lips. "The risk is too great to assume otherwise. They must be staked."

  "So can't I wait until night and see if he really is one?" Peter asked him.

  Lysander strode over to the desk and set his palm on the top. "Contrary to a vampire awakening after the sunset on the day they were created, a revenant may arise at any time after their death. Only a severe shock to the body's system will keep them in death for as long as a day."

  Peter shrugged. "What could be a worse shock than dying? I'd be pretty surprised by that."

  Lysander glanced over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "You do not want to know, and I do not want to explain. Just find the body and drive a stake through its heart."

  Peter held up his hands and backed up toward the open door. "All right, fine.. Anything else I need to know about this lady in case she gets up and asks for a pint of blood?"

  The vampire nodded. "They, like vampires, have an aversion to garlic, and the sunlight will destroy them. That is all."

  Peter's shoulders slumped and he sighed. "Bunches of help. . ."

  Lysander frowned and pointed a finger at the door. "Leave."

  Peter stepped into the doorway and nodded. "Leaving."

  He rushed out of the house before the vampire had second thoughts about an early breakfast.

  CHAPTER 16